Third Time's the Charm
by KrissaBelle7
Summary: Sequel to Second Chance. AU. One year has gone by since Rick and Kate confirmed their relationship to the public. Join them as they enter the next phase of their relationship and try to navigate through it. Mainly fluffy family moments ;) Readers are advised to check out Second Chance before reading this.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I present, the sequel to Second Chance :) Thanks for your patience and encouragement. I have a test on Wednesday and a final paper on Thursday but here I am instead, writing fanfiction. Everyone needs a break, right? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Still ain't mine…

* * *

Twenty months.

Kate Beckett couldn't stop the smile gracing her face if her life depended on it. She couldn't believe that it has been twenty months since she said yes to her partner. Twenty months since she became Rick Castle's girlfriend.

Looking at the man lying peacefully on _her_ pillow, Kate couldn't help but bite her lower lip in an attempt to stop the Cheshire grin from erupting. Sure, Rick was asleep, but she couldn't afford letting him catch her smiling like a love struck teen. No sir, she wasn't chancing it – not since he's called her out on becoming sappy.

And the worst part was he was _right_. She could _feel_ herself becoming sappy. Aren't things supposed to start cooling down a little between them? She still wakes up with a big goofy smile every morning for no reason. No, that wasn't right. There _was_ a reason for waking up like she felt on the top of the world every morning, and that reason was Richard Castle.

Kate internally scoffed at herself. _Seriously girl, how much more sappy can you get?_

But those thoughts didn't stop her from brushing back his hair lightly before she placed a kiss on his forehead. Pushing up on her palms, Kate lifted her body and clambered over his body to get to his side of the bed.

Her man-child was big on cuddling – okay fine, they were _both_ big on cuddling now that Rick has converted her, but it was ridiculous how he ends up on her pillow most of the time. Normally she doesn't mind it, but then there are days such as this very morning when his body heat was a little too much; bordering on stifling.

Flopping onto his cool pillow, Kate checked the time. Okay, she could afford to laze in bed for another twenty minutes before her alarm went off. Her mind was alert, so going back to sleep wasn't an option.

Arriana had Show and Tell in school today, so they would drop by and do that before heading to the precinct. Kate hoped the paparazzi would leave them alone today. They were mostly happy to leave the duo alone most of the time, but the paparazzi loved to hound them whenever their little family were all together.

Apparently all you need to do is factor in some children to get their attention. In this case, Arriana to the paparazzi was like a rasher of bacon to hungry dogs. Kate frowned at the metaphor, not liking the fact that her brain had just compared her own daughter to bacon.

This invasion of their privacy was a frequent topic of discussion between the couple. Kate knows Rick wasn't at fault here; and she knows and appreciates that he tries to keep them out of the press as much as possible, but that doesn't mean that she has come to like it. It was, at it's very best, mildly tolerable.

They weren't normally newsworthy unless Rick has to do promotion for his books or events. In that case, the paparazzi would follow them around for a week or so, before moving on to other people. Hence Kate grudgingly admits that she has to bear half the responsibility this time.

Because this time round, they had become "newsworthy" because the lovebirds have just gotten back from their honeymoon.

Did she forget to mention that?

* * *

Oh yeah, Kate Beckett had gone and gotten herself hitched.

Six months after Kate dropped by one of his book signings and planted a kiss on him, effectively confirming and outing their relationship status to the press, Rick Castle had dropped down on one knee and proposed to her.

There weren't any hot air balloon rides or proposals in fine dining restaurants; no skywriters nor jumbotrons – thank god! It seems that Rick had remembered her advice to Ryan years ago and stuck to a simple and private proposal. He proposed one evening in their loft, just the two of them. It was tasteful and special, but more importantly, she had said yes.

Kate learned later on that both Arriana and Alexis had helped him choose the ring, and it was perfect. The diamond wasn't too large, so Kate wouldn't have to worry about wearing it to work, but it caught the light at all the right times and reflected the rays perfectly, shining bright like a diamond should.

Half a year later, they were wed in a small ceremony in the Hamptons. Only their closest friends and family had been invited, with Judge Markaway performing the private ceremony. The press didn't even catch wind of the wedding until it was over. They were led to believe that it would be happening a month after the actual date.

Both Kevin and Javier were Rick's best men. Lanie had been her maid of honor; while Alexis proudly took on the role of bridesmaid, leaving Arriana to be the flower girl. The little girl took her duty seriously, happily prancing around throwing flower petals for days, perfecting her skill for the big day.

When they returned to the city, the newlyweds threw a huge reception dinner. Anyone who was someone in New York was invited. The fine officers that protected the city were in attendance as well, enjoying a well-earned night off from their duties. All of their friends and acquaintances turned up for the lavish reception dinner.

Rick had worked things out with his publicist, and they managed to sell the exclusive rights for photography at the reception to only one media outlet, effectively keeping the number of paparazzi down. The money from those pictures went to the Johanna Beckett scholarship.

A week later, Rick and Kate left for their honeymoon, stopping by a few European cities, staying a few days at a time, before flying off to a private island in the Caribbean for a week, only returning to New York a few days ago.

Her time off was amazing, but now she was home, and New York City was calling to her. Kate's alarm rang at that moment, breaking her introspection. She rolled over and shut off the alarm as Rick began stirring.

Kate waited patiently for him to open his eyes, smiling down at him before greeting her husband with a kiss good morning.

It was time to start their day.

* * *

A/N: So what did you guys think? I know it's mostly narration and no dialogue – I wanted to catch you guys up to their "current" situation. Don't worry, there's more interaction to come in the next chapter. Don't forget to leave a review! :) Ps. I've recently gotten twitter, so you can add me at amandaOtweets for updates etc. It's set to private, so PM me to approve your request if I haven't done so.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: *Creeps out from behind a rock* Hi. Sorry I haven't updated this in such a long time… Been busy with my entry for the Castle Hiatus Ficathon. I needed a break from the anger/sadness/angst, so be prepared for fluff/happiness galore! Btw, I'm looking for a beta for this fic. PM me if you're interested/know someone who might be interested :)

* * *

Chapter Two

Rick's face broke into a wide smile, greeting sleepily, "Morning, Mrs. Castle."

Kate parroted back, "Good morning Mr. Castle," smiling contentedly as she carded her fingers through his hair. Rick rolled onto his side, supporting his weight on his elbow as he faced Kate.

"So, what are we doing today?" he asked her.

Kate reached for his free hand, entwining their fingers together. "_We _need to attend Arriana's Show and Tell. Then, _I've_ got to prepare for a deposition."

Tugging on her fingers, Rick suggested, "Well then, why don't you hop into the shower and I'll go wake Arriana."

"I love you, Mr. Castle," she hummed contently, leaning close to give him another kiss.

"Love you right back, Mrs. Castle," he murmured, closing the distance between their lips.

Kate smiled into their chaste kiss before rolling out of bed. She couldn't believe how easy, how natural it came to her, being Mrs. Castle. There was a time when she couldn't even imagine telling another man she loved him, but now the words just come tumbling out of her mouth, unbidden.

And it was all because of Richard Castle.

The thought itself brought a smile back to her face, stubbornly staying on throughout her shower.

* * *

Arriana heard soft footsteps approaching her bedroom. Giggling to herself, she quickly scurried under her blankets. Her bedroom door swung noiselessly open, but she heard the click from the doorknob as it was twisted open, alerting the presence of another person in her room.

Arriana tried to still her shoulders, stifling her giggles so that whoever had entered her room wouldn't know that she was awake.

"Rise and shine, Arriana."

The voice was soft, probably an attempt to not startle her awake, but she could guess that Rick was standing by her bed. She tensed, prepared to launch her body upwards. The bed dipped a little as Rick sat down on the edge, and that was all the signal Arriana needed to pounce out, throwing the covers away.

"Good morning! Surprise!" she greeted happily, hugging him tightly. Rick barely had time to hug her with one arm as he set the other against her bed, propping them upright.

"Nearly gave me a heart attack there, kiddo," he said, hugging her back in greeting as Arriana continued giggling, overjoyed that her plan to surprise him had succeeded. "What are you doing up so early in the morning?"

Arriana stepped back from their embrace, shrugging her little shoulders as she replied his question. "I don't know, I was just up, I guess."

"Fair enough. Come on, let's go pick out your clothes and then you can get ready for school."

Rick stood up slowly as Arriana scrambled over to her dresser. "So how do you feel about show and tell today? Good?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm going to talk about my new sister, Lexi. Hey Uncle Rick, what do I call you now that you and mommy are married?" Arriana tossed casually over her shoulder, keeping her main focus on selecting her outfit for the day.

"Erm, I don't know. What do you feel like calling me?" Rick asked, joining her side as he helped bring down the dress she had selected.

"You're like my daddy now, right? So should I still call you Uncle Rick or should I call you dad? Daddy? Daddy Rick?" She tried out a few variations, looking up at him with her big, green eyes as he handed her a towel.

"I guess it's up to which one you prefer. You can call me Rick, or dad, daddy – I'm fine with either."

"Dad," Arriana tried, giggling to herself. "That's what Lexi calls you. Dad." More giggles bubbled out of Arriana as Rick looked on at her, an amused expression on his face.

"What's so funny, silly girl?"

Rick's question went unanswered as the little girl continued giggling quietly.

"Why don't you jump into your shower, and slowly think about it, okay? Let me know what you decide later," he said, guiding her by the shoulders, coaxing her into the bathroom.

"Okay, Unc– _Dad_."

More giggles ensued.

Rick shook his head, calling out, "Don't forget to brush your teeth!" as he headed out of her room.

* * *

It was almost seven by the time Rick had finished showering and dressing, heading down to the kitchen. To his surprise, it was still empty. Kate must be upstairs helping Arriana with her hair. He began tinkering about the kitchen, laying out the cereal on the table for Arriana to choose and making toast and coffee.

Soon enough, he saw his two girls coming down the stairs. Arriana was skipping down the steps, swinging her schoolbag happily as Kate followed behind her.

"Walk, Arri, don't skip down the stairs – you're going to trip and fall," Kate warned.

"Okay, mommy," Arriana replied, slowing her skips into a sort of upbeat march. Kate shook her head at her daughter's antics that morning. She could hardly keep still as Kate braided her hair earlier.

"What's up with you, baby girl? Why are you so energetic this morning?" She asked, heading to the kitchen to accept the steaming mug of coffee Rick was holding out.

"I dunno. Just am, I guess. Mommy, Uncle Rick said I could call him dad or daddy or whatever I wanted!"

Kate glanced at Rick as Arriana began pouring some Honey Stars into her bowl. All he did was shrug, telling her, "_She_ brought it up, so I told her to call me whatever felt comfortable. Is that alright?"

"Of course," she said, walking over to the toaster that had just chimed. Their toast was done. Placing them onto a plate, Kate brought it over and set the plate in between her and Castle.

"So, Arriana, have you decided what to call me?" he asked, picking up a piece of toast to butter.

"Lexi calls you Dad," she said, giggling again.

Kate shot Rick a questioning look, and he told her, "Don't look at me. She's been giggling to herself since morning."

Deciding to find out for herself, Kate asked, "Arri, what's so funny?"

"Dad."

_Giggle._

"It's so funny calling Uncle Rick _Dad_. I sound so old," she dragged the last word, erupting in giggles once more.

"Silly girl," Kate said, rolling her eyes as she took a bite out of her toast.

"How about daddy, then," Castle suggested, "and maybe when you're older you can call me Dad if you want. Or you could just call me both."

"Okay, daddy!"

Arriana turned her attention back to her bowl of Honey Stars, quickly eating it before it got too soggy.

"By the way, Kate, I talked to my lawyer about drawing up the adoption papers. If it's all right, I'll meet him while you prepare for your deposition, and then we can talk about it further tonight."

Kate hummed in consent, her mouth otherwise occupied with breakfast. Fifteen minutes later they were out of the door, heading for Arriana's school. It was time for show and tell.

* * *

Rick and Kate sat in the back of the classroom as Arriana stood in front of all her classmates.

"Good morning, everyone. For show and tell today, I'm going to talk about my new sister, Alexis Castle."

"And how did she become your new sister?" Mrs. Brown, Arriana's teacher asked.

"Mommy married Uncle Rick, who's now my daddy, so Lexi became my sister. I'm really happy because tomorrow is Wednesday, and on Wednesdays Lexi comes over to the loft for family dinner night. Normally, she stays in a dormitory at her university.

"Lexi used to stay at the loft, but last year she moved out when she started studying at NYU, which stands for New York University. I missed her a lot and that made me sad, so we have family dinner night once a week, and she comes over to the loft."

"Do you see her on other days as well?" Mrs. Brown asked, gently prodding Arriana to continue talking.

"Yes, I do. Sometimes when she's not too busy we spend time together on the weekends. But for the last two weeks she came back to stay with Grams and I at the loft while mommy and daddy went for their vacation. She had to go back to her dormitory on Saturday night though."

"Okay, one last thing and we're done. Why don't you try describing what Alexis looks like to your friends," her teacher said.

"Lexi is very tall and skinny, but not as tall as my mom. She has beautiful red hair and light blue eyes. She's the prettiest sister in the world," Arriana finished, pride for her sister shining through her eyes.

* * *

A/N: I know it's kinda short, but at least it's an update, right? And I'm sorry if Arriana's Show and Tell was weird – I'm not from the states, but this was how the internet kinda portrayed show and tell. Review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'd like to introduce you guys to my two awesome beta readers, Anika(BitAndBridle27) and Iris(Unputdownable). Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: Not Mine!

* * *

Arriana headed over to her parents when she was done, skipping happily into Rick's open arms.

"So how was it, was I good?" she asked excitedly.

"You were great, Arri," Kate praised, proud that her daughter has gotten so far. She used to be so shy and reserved, only interacting with the people she knew quite well. But some of Castle's outgoing personality must have rubbed off on her over time.

Castle propped Arriana on his lap, turning her body sideways so that she could see the both of them at the same time. "Alexis would've been so proud if she was here! Did she teach you the word _dormitory_?" Rick asked while stroking her head, letting his fingers run through her soft, wispy hair.

Arriana nodded eagerly, secretly pleased with the fact that he noticed her using the full word instead of the short form.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Brown began calling for her students' attention. They were going to start Arts and Crafts shortly. Arriana quickly gave her parents a peck on the cheek each, before ushering them to leave.

Rick and Kate lingered in the corridor, sneaking peeks at their daughter through the windows, not quite ready to leave just yet. Kate let out a soft chuckle as they watched one of her classmates pull on her braid. Arriana swatted his hand away, eyes narrowing as she glared at him.

"It's freaky how she looks _just_ like you when she does that!" Rick commented. Kate turned her head to look at him, narrowing her eyes to mirror her daughter.

"Yup, that's the look I'm talking about," he continued jovially.

"Shouldn't you be chasing the kid away with pitchforks or something?" Kate teased.

"Oh ha ha, very funny," Rick replied wryly, tangling his fingers with hers as he tugged her away from the window, ambling slowly down the corridor. "I'll give him another ten years before I bring out the pitchforks," he continued.

"Bring out the pitchforks? I was under the impression that the pitchforks were _already_ out, I mean, the way you scare away all of Alexis's guy friends…" Kate trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

Rick shot her a look, pointedly changing the topic of their conversation. "You know what, I think Arriana might secretly _like_ him pulling on her pigtails. I know her mom enjoys getting her pigtails pulled by a certain handsome, dashing man."

"Don't go blowing your own horn, writer boy, I never said I _enjoyed_ it, I merely tolerateit. Come on, I'll drop you off at your lawyer's place before I head over to the Twelfth."

* * *

The trip to his lawyer had proven very informative. He and Kate had previously discussed Rick's adoption of Arriana, but that was only in passing. Mark Jones has been Rick's lawyer for the past twenty odd years. He handled both of Rick's divorces and helped the author throughout his brushes with law enforcement in the past.

Mark patiently explained to Rick the process of adoption in the state of New York and what it would entail. For now, Rick and Kate would have to discuss and sort out details such as Arriana's last name.

Since Arriana hasn't reached fourteen years of age, she wouldn't be required to give her consent for the adoption. But at the same time, Rick would feel more comfortable if he and Kate sat down and talked to her about it. Maybe they could do it over dinner tomorrow night with Alexis around.

For now, Mark would simply hand Rick the forms and list of supporting documents. Once Rick has filled it up and Kate has given her consent for the adoption, Mark would hand in the documents to be processed.

Depending on how fast the paperwork was handled, the Castles would have to go to Family Court in a few months. After that, they'd just have to collect Arriana's new birth certificate and everything would be legal. Following that, they would have to inform Arriana's school to update her personal information.

Two hours had gone by before Rick exhausted all his questions; the little notebook in his pocket was scrawled with notes that were only understandable to the author when he was done.

The warm, late-morning sun hit him in the face as soon as Rick stepped onto the sidewalk. He should head over to the precinct and see what Kate was up to. But first, he had to go buy some coffee.

There was a Starbucks two blocks from where he was, so Castle started walking in that direction. A cold blast of air-conditioning greeted him as he stepped into the franchise store. The place was rather empty at the time – the morning rush had ended a few hours ago.

In another hour or two, the place would once again be overwhelmed by the lunch break, but now there was no one waiting in line. He walked up to the counter where a cheery barista greeted him and took his order. Rick gave their orders, reciting it from memory easily.

As he walked over to the collection counter, Rick took out his phone and sent Kate a quick text.

_Hey, I'm heading to the 12__th__ in a few. How's things?_

He also sent his oldest daughter a message, asking if there was anything she would prefer for family dinner night.

Neither of them had replied him, so Rick collected the coffees and headed out to hail a cab.

* * *

It was good to be back in the precinct. Kate had gotten updates from Ryan and Esposito ever since she returned to New York, so she knew what to anticipate. She had read the case notes last night in order to refresh her memory, so that when Kate came in to work this morning, she'd hit the ground running.

The state's defense lawyer who was in charge of preparing Kate for her deposition was someone new, so she had never worked with her before. Anthea Clarins was fresh faced and a little green behind the ears, but her enthusiasm and boundless energy made up for it. They worked over every aspect of the case, preparing for any questions the defense team might throw in Kate's way.

Since Kate wasn't new to giving depositions, she already knew how to phrase her answers. Anthea only had to give her minor suggestions to replace certain terms that Kate had used. They worked throughout the morning, barely pausing for breaks.

Anthea had just excused herself to use the ladies room, and Kate took that opportunity to check her phone. Castle had sent her a text ten minutes ago, but her phone had been on silent. She was forming a reply when she heard Esposito calling her from the doorway.

"Yo Beckett, someone's here to see you."

She swiveled her head over to see Espo standing in the doorway with Ryan, the both of them wearing matching grins. The boys parted, making an empty space between them.

"Coffee for Mrs. Castle."

Kate quickly rose to her feet, a beaming smile on her face as her husband entered the room, coffee cups in his hands. Her wonderful, thoughtful, charming, and utterly handsome husband greeted her with a chaste kiss on the lips.

Breaking apart, she murmured, "I go by Detective Beckett here." She could taste the faint caffeine residue on his lips, and that served as a catalyst to her own longing for the aromatic beverage. Reaching out, she took her coffee from him and took a slow, savoring sip.

"Mmm, just what I needed," she told him softly, a soft smile gracing her face. Feeling the weight of the boys' open staring at them, Beckett took a step back so that she and Castle were standing at a more respectable distance apart.

"Sorry I didn't reply your text, I just saw it a moment ago. Anthea and I were pretty occupied," she explained.

"The state's defense lawyer?" Castle clarified, as Ryan and Esposito walked into the room.

"Yeah, in fact, here she is," Beckett told him, as the mid twenties, petite lawyer returned.

"This is Anthea Clarins," Beckett began introducing, "and Anthea, this is–"

"Rick Castle," Anthea cut in excitedly, "I know."

She stuck her hand out, and Rick automatically shook it out of politeness. The young lawyer was smiling up at him, eyes shining as she continued shaking his hand, unwilling to let go.

Beckett exchanged weird looks with the boys. So apparently Anthea was a huge fan of her husband.

"I'm a big fan, Mr. Castle. It's so wonderful to be able to meet you in person, you have no idea how much I love you," Anthea blubbered out, her attention focusing solely on Castle.

Beckett mouthed silently to Ryan and Esposito, asking, "Did you guys know about this?"

Both detectives shrugged their shoulders in reply to Beckett, looking on amusedly at Castle, who was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Nonetheless, he smiled back at her, telling her, "Well, it's always nice to meet a fan," as he tried to discretely extract his hand back.

Looking toward Beckett for help, he said, "Hey, Kate, I should let you guys get back to what you were doing. I'll just hang out with the boys for a while before taking off."

To everyone's surprise, Anthea was the one who replied to what Castle had said. "You're leaving?" she asked forlornly, deflating at the thought of him going away. Her shoulders hunched a little as all her exciting and bubbly energy dissipated.

Castle's eyes widened for the barest moment, silently seeking help from Kate. The female detective bit her lip in an attempt to hold back her smirk, eyes twinkling mischievously. There would be no help from his wife – she wanted to see how he would get himself out of this sticky situation.

"Well, you see, it's just– I'm sure the two of you have a lot to do, preparing for Kate's deposition, lots of preparation to do," Castle rambled, subconsciously moving closer to his wife in an attempt to use her as protection.

"Yeah, the two of you seem very busy, and I should let you get back to what you were doing previously, I just–" Castle broke off mid sentence, grabbing Beckett's hand and tugging her along with him as he continued, "I need to speak to my wife for a moment."

Castle was getting pretty creeped out and uncomfortable with the way Anthea was eyeing him.

"Castle," Beckett released a laughing breath, pulling back on Castle's hand that was intertwined with hers. He had tugged her all the way to the break room. Looking around furtively, Castle decided that he was safe. For now.

"What was that? You guys left me fending all alone for myself!" Castle accused. "Did you set me up? Is she really preparing you for the deposition?"

Beckett rolled her eyes. "I'm flattered that you think I had the resources to set you up on such short notice, but I've got better things to do. Besides, I thought you're used to all these women throwing themselves at you," she teased.

"The only woman that I want already has a ring on her finger, and it was put on by yours truly, thank you very much. Besides, I was ambushed! I'm used to meeting fans at events or even when I'm out and around the city, but this is a precinct! Your work place has always been off limits to the fans," Castle explained, hooking his fingers with hers, pulling her in.

"Alright, I'll protect you from your scary, little fans. I've got your back," she told him softly, gazing up into his blue eyes. Their faces were close enough for him to feel the warmth of her breath; for him to see the little ring of green flecks that was scattered within her brown iris. Castle took in how her lashes fanned out and curled upwards, marveling at how it framed her eyes; how the little spaces in between her eyelashes afforded Kate just enough of a view to glance up at him, as though she was peeking furtively at him.

"Always," he murmured lowly, closing the distance to kiss her.

They broke apart a second later; after all, they were still at the precinct. "I should get back to the deposition," Beckett said apologetically. "How did it go with Mark this morning?"

"It was fine, he explained the process to me and answered a bunch of my questions. We'll talk about it tonight."

"Alright. You're going to hang out with the boys, right? They don't have a case, so it's been a pretty slow day for them. Just don't get into too much trouble," Beckett warned good-naturedly, well aware of the antics they got into when they had too much free time on their hands.

"We'll try not to get caught," he told Beckett, giving her a lopsided smile. "I'm going to head off in an hour or so to pick up Arriana from school, then we'll get some grocery for dinner tomorrow night. Alexis says she feels like having grilled salmon," he explained.

"Sounds good," she replied. "Well, I'm heading back to continue preparing for the deposition. You coming, Castle?"

"Eh," Castle hedged, "I think I'm going to keep my distance and just stay here. Send the boys over, will you?"

Shaking her head, Beckett left the break room.

* * *

A/N: Reviews are always welcomed! And it's just one week until Season 6! :D


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey guys, I'm really happy with how this chapter turned out, hope you guys enjoy it too! Beta credits go to Anika and Iris :)

Ps. Wasn't the season premier AMAZING?! Can't wait for Dreamworld and Paley on Monday!

Pps. I'm trying to stay spoiler free this season, and that includes sneak peeks, so I'd appreciate it if you guys could respect that and refrain from mentioning spoilers to me...

Disclaimer: Not Mine.

* * *

Chapter 4

Kate returned to the room that she and Anthea had been using for their prep, struggling to keep a straight face and remain professional when she saw Ryan and Esposito trying to cheer up the defense lawyer whose spark had dimmed a little.

"All right boys, we need to get back to work," she said, gesturing to herself and Anthea, "Why don't you boys head to the break room?"

The boys trailed out, giving her a quick wink while calling out over their shoulders, "See ya later, Beckett."

Beckett headed for the desk, pitying the defense lawyer who looked longingly after the boys, probably pining after her husband.

"I didn't know you were a fan of my husband's works," Beckett started conversationally, gesturing for Anthea to take a seat in a friendly manner, feeling only a tiny twinge of guilt for throwing that word out.

Husband.

Because he _is_ her husband. And even though Beckett sympathized and pitied the girl – she used to be like that years and years ago as well, a fangirl head over heels in love with the larger-than-life author – Castle was hers now. And she had the ring to prove it. She was entitled to mark her territory, and Castle was now off limits to everyone else.

"Yeah, I probably made a fool out of myself huh?" Anthea dropped onto the chair, blushing furiously. She continued, "I mean, I know that he's your husband – it was all over the papers – and there was a small part of me that was hoping I'd be able to meet him while we worked together, but I didn't actually think that I would get to meet him. Oh God, this is so embarrassing, I must have come off as so unprofessional."

Giving the young woman a small smile, Kate took pity on her. "Don't worry about it, Castle has that effect on a lot of women."

"Do you think he'll sign my– "

"Book?" Kate supplied, cutting in before Anthea could finish her sentence. Nodding eagerly, Anthea pulled out the latest Nikki Heat book from her bag. Kate gave a small sigh of relief.

Despite being in a stable relationship for twenty months and recently married, a lot of Castle's fans still offer him marker pens to sign their chests. And that irked Kate because he was a married man now. Not that he'd sign their chests – Castle always charmed his way out of those offers, signing photos or books for the fans instead.

"He'll drop in again before leaving the precinct, so why don't you ask him then?" Kate suggested politely. "Now, where were we?" she continued, tactfully steering them back to work.

* * *

An hour later Castle dropped by to let Kate know he was heading off. Anthea took that opportunity to ask him to sign her book, which he obliged, before leaving Kate a quick departing kiss on her cheek.

He caught a cab in front of the precinct, getting to Arriana's school with time to spare. Lingering in front of the gates, Castle struck up a few conversations with the other parents – mostly moms or nannies – who were waiting for their kids as well.

He garnered quite a bit of attention, after all, dads hardly picked up their children from school, but Castle was used to it. Besides, he's already gone through the phase with Alexis, and back then, the single father had to ward of quite a few unwanted approaches from lonely moms.

Out of the corner of his eye, Castle caught a few paparazzi snapping some test shots. Ignoring them, he patiently waited for the bell to ring, signaling the end of school. Soon enough, the gates opened and parents headed in to collect their kids.

Rick spotted the large colorful sign that read "2nd Graders" and headed there. Signing off on the sheet held by the teacher in charge, Rick and Arriana left hand in hand.

"What happened to your hairclip?" Rick asked as they passed the school gates, noticing how one of them was much lower than the other.

"It's that stupid Evans boy," Arriana complained, "He's always pulling on my hair."

"We don't call people by mean names, remember," Rick chastised, kneeling to be the same level as her. "Here, let me fix it for you."

Arriana patiently stood still, waving goodbye to some of her classmates as Rick took out her hairclip and pinned it level with the other.

"So where are we going, Unc- err, daddy?"

Rick smiled, feeling overly pleased with how that noun sounded, coming out of her mouth. "Well, Alexis is coming over tomorrow, so I was thinking we could go get some groceries together."

"Okay daddy," the seven year old happily replied, swinging their arms freely as she skipped along, jumping from one colored brick to another.

"What are you doing there, kiddo? Is that a new game?" Rick asked curiously when she tugged on his hand a little too hard trying to get to one of the bricks.

"Mmhmm," she vocalized, standing completely still within her brick before looking back up at him. She quickly explained, "The sidewalk is a lava river, and only the brown bricks are safe to step on."

Looking down at the relatively free-of-pedestrians mosaic sidewalk that composed of red, brown and grey bricks, he made an unmanly squeak and hopped onto the brown brick nearby. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I almost burned off my shoes!" he said to Arriana, who broke into a grin and stretched her hand out to hold his once more.

The continued their little game for a short while, ending it when they made a turn onto another sidewalk that was composed of only grey bricks.

The cool air that greeted them at the grocery store was more than welcomed, after all, Arriana had worked herself into a flushed faced, sweaty little girl. Castle pushed the trolley along slowly, ambling through the aisles with his daughter as they picked out items.

From there they took a cab back to the loft. Rick busied himself putting things away while Arriana took a shower and changed into something more comfortable. He checked in with her, content to leave her with her homework while he went over the adoption notes from that morning.

Kate left the precinct at five, and that afforded her plenty of time to get home and spend time with her family. They enjoyed a simple dinner together and shared the details of their day. When it was time to put Arriana to bed, she sleepily told them, "Good night, Mommy and Daddy."

The proud parents lingered quietly in the doorway, watching as she gave one last yawn and dozed off. Rick and Kate retired to their bedroom downstairs, and amidst the Egyptian-cotton sheets and fluffy down pillows, he explained to her what Mark had told him about the adoption process.

* * *

Kate got called in for a fresh case the next day, leaving early in the morning while Arriana lay asleep in bed. Rick joined her at the precinct after he dropped off Arriana at school, handing her a latte from Starbucks as the team recapped the crime scene for him. The four of them fell back to their pattern easily, bouncing theories and running down leads as a well-oiled, cohesive unit.

Castle left half an hour earlier than Beckett, to go pick up Arriana from aftercare and start on dinner. She tied up things as best as she could, before sending the boys home as well.

Alexis got to the loft right as Kate finished showering; greeting her dad with a quick peck to the cheek and giving Kate a one-handed hug. Upon seeing her younger sister coming down the stairs, Alexis flung her arms wide open and the younger girl barreled into her sister's arms.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it's been four whole days since I last saw you! I missed you so much, Arri. Wait a minute, did you grow _taller_? Let me see," Alexis fussed, lavishing her attention on her younger sister.

Arriana giggled, saying, "I missed you too, Lexi! And daddy said that if I eat all my vegetables I'll be tall like you and mommy."

Alexis raised her eyebrows discretely at how easily Arriana called their dad "daddy", but she wisely didn't comment in case the younger girl felt embarrassed or uncomfortable.

The newlyweds looked on happily at their daughters while they set up the table for dinner. Alexis and Arriana headed over, helping with the drinks and cutlery. "Arri, why don't you tell Alexis about Show and Tell yesterday?" Kate suggested, laying out the plates.

"Mommy and Daddy said that I was _great_! And I used the word _dormitory_, just like how you taught me," Arriana said proudly.

Over dinner, Alexis talked about college and returning to her dorm after two weeks of staying at the loft – she was enjoying second year, but the workload was getting heavier.

Halfway through the meal, Kate exchanged a look with Rick, cueing him to ease into the conversation about the adoption. Rick put down his fork and took a sip of wine before asking Arriana, "So, Arri, do you know what adoption means?"

"Is it like adopting stray dogs from the shelters? Mrs. Brown says we should try adopting a pet before buying them from the pet store."

"Err, yeah, you can adopt a pet, but that's not my point. Arriana, I'd like to adopt you," Rick told her.

"But you already brought mommy and I home, right?" she asked.

"Arri, if Rick adopts you, then he'd be like your real dad, just like how he's Alexis' dad as well," Kate explained.

The little girl began to frown. "But isn't he my daddy already? I've been calling him daddy."

"Can I?" Alexis asked Kate, offering to talk to Arriana. "Hey, Arri, of course Rick's your daddy. He takes care of you and loves you, right? And I'm your sister, aren't I? So my dad's your dad as well. The adoption… it's more like... like your mom's paperwork. You know how sometimes she has to write things down and make it official to record it? The adoption is something like that as well. Its just paperwork to let other people know that Rick's your dad as well, and that we're all part of this family even though we're not born into it."

"So Rick really is my daddy?"

Alexis looked to Kate with wide eyes; unsure of how much Arriana knew about her biological father. Besides, things were confusing enough for the seven year old as it is.

"Hey, Arri," Rick coaxed, getting her to look at him. "I'm always going to be your daddy, okay?" he reassured her. "We're a family, forever and always, and no one can take that away. The adoption is like Alexis said, just paperwork to make sure other people know that I'm your dad. So in case anything happens to your mom,"

"Not that you need to worry about anything happening to me," Kate cut in gently, sharing a look with Rick.

He nodded, continuing quickly, "The adoption makes sure that no one else can take you away from me or our family."

After letting his words sink in, Arriana asked softly, "So nothing's going to change? No one's going to hurt mommy or you and I won't have to go away or get a new daddy?"

"Nothing's going to change," Kate emphasized, looking at her daughter straight in the eye. "No one's going to hurt me or Rick, and you won't have to go away or get a new dad."

"Okay, but what about Lexi?"

"Well, Lexi's much older than you, she's an adult now, so she doesn't need to be adopted because she can make her own decisions. But, we're still a family," Kate explained.

"So I'm the only one being adopted?"

This time, Rick answered her question. "Well, yes, because you're still young, so we'll need to go through with the adoption so that it's officially recorded that we're a family."

Satisfied at last, Arriana asked her final question. "So what do we do for this adoption thing?"

Rick and Kate sighed in relief, glad that the hard questions were over. He gave her a simple rundown of the adoption process and let her know that she might be getting a new family name before they moved on to another topic of conversation.

Later that evening, as Alexis was loading the dishwasher, Kate approached, offering her help.

"Hey Alexis, you're okay with your dad adopting Arriana, right?" she asked, putting the last plate into the dishwasher and shutting the door. Turning so that she and Alexis were facing each other, she continued, "You're not _jealous_ or anything, are you?"

Alexis let out a string of laughter. "Jealous? Did dad put you up to this?"

Kate shrugged, telling her, "Well, it's common for older siblings to be slightly unreceptive to the adoption of a new sibling."

"Kate, don't be ridiculous. Of course I'm fine with sharing dad with Arri! We've been a family for almost two years. I meant what I said, you know, about being a family without having to be born into it." Shyly, the young woman added, "Just like how you're my mom even though you didn't give birth to me."

Enveloping Alexis in a hug, Kate told her, "I'd be _ecstatic_ if Arriana could grow up to be even half as wonderful as you are."

* * *

A/N: So, what did you guys think? Those of you who have been reviewing can skip this part, but for the rest of you, here's the thing. I've been getting really little reviews for the past few chapters, and I have to admit that I'm disappointed. I wrote this sequel and came up with a lot of ideas for it because you guys asked for it. And now that it's here, you guys can't even be bothered to leave me a review. Don't go thinking that the next person who reads this story will leave a review because guess what, everyone thinks that way and in the end _nobody_ reviews. I've put in a lot of thought and planning for Charm, so it would be really nice to get some feedback from you guys, and I promise to try my best to reply every single one of you.

Anyway, I've got a busy month up ahead, and I'm going to focus most of my energy on my other fic, so Charm won't be my first priority unless I can get sufficiently motivated to continue writing. That said, please leave a review or pm, okay? You can also find me on twitter at amandaOtweets.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for the amazing response for the previous chapter! Every single review and PM put a smile on my face :) Happy Castle Monday!

A/N 2: Forgot to credit my betas! *smacks head* Anika & Iris, thanks again!

* * *

Chapter 5

"Castle, have you seen this?"

Kate's voice floated into the bathroom through the door that was slightly ajar. Pausing mid-shave, Rick asked, "Seen what, honey?"

He continued, shaving, expecting his wife in three, two-

"This." Kate pushed the door open, toast in one hand and a newspaper in the other. "Page Six," she elaborated, waving the offending article in his face, adding, "And don't _honey _me. Did you know about this?"

Castle smiled, putting down his razor and turning to his wife with a mildly amusing look on his face.

"Did that come in this morning?" he asked, gesturing at the article. When she nodded, he continued quickly, "Well, since I'm still in the bathroom, I think it's safe to say that I haven't seen it yet. And since I haven't seen it yet, I can't tell you if I know about it or not, detective."

Kate narrowed her eyes at him, taking in how the towel wrapped around his lower body hung low on his hips. "Are you patronizing me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even. Her husband did not need to know how much his lack of clothing was affecting her.

His ego didn't need the boost, and besides, she was supposed to be mad. At someone. She isn't sure whom, but she vaguely remembers being mad at someone. If only her brain could stop getting distracted by her ruggedly handsome, towel-clad husband.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Detective Beckett," he murmured, pulling her closer by the ends of her button down shirt. His wife was going to court today, and she had dressed accordingly. "Now why don't you tell me what article's got you all _worked up_ this morning?" he asked, noticing how her eyes just went another shade darker. Interesting.

Clearing her throat, Kate showed him the article. "It's some fluff piece about 'Third time lucky' and how you're 'Mr. Mom'," Kate told him, rolling her eyes and using air quotations.

"You're upset over the pictures," Castle surmised, intuitive enough to know what was really getting at her. There were a few pictures published along with the short excerpt, depicting Castle waiting in front of Arriana's school a few days ago. Another picture showed Castle fixing her hairclip, and a few of them walking down the street hand in hand.

"She's a minor! And I understand if they want to publish pictures from events, but this is at her school! I don't want the paparazzi invading our everyday lives. It's personal," Kate finished softly.

She didn't mention the nagging worry associated with the dangers of her occupation – after all, she had put many criminals behind bars throughout her years with the NYPD – and bringing it up would just send Rick's mind into overdrive. Besides, her mind didn't necessarily want to dwell on thoughts of bad things happening to her daughter.

"I'm sure it'll blow over soon, but I'll talk to Paula about it, okay?" Castle told her, dropping a kiss onto her forehead.

Kate hummed softly, offering him a bite from her toast. He took a small bite, understanding that Kate was still coming to grips with his lifestyle, which involved the limelight, and being out there in the public eye.

After a moment of solitude, he teased, "So, are there any other reasons as to why you're so worked up this morning?"

Kate pursed her lips and glared at him, keeping her eyes trained on his face. "Well, it might have something to do with my husband."

"Your husband?" Rick asked, faking ignorance as her hands trailed down his sides to where his towel hung, the article now lying forgotten on the counter.

Kate leaned in close to him, speaking breathily. "He's giving me a small problem."

"Small?"

Kate hooked her fingers in the band of his towel as she continued conversationally, "Yeah, you see," she said, tugging him closer, "I need to be in court today, so I can't run late."

"Don't have to be late, Kate," he said, leaning in for a kiss, his hand reaching for the trail of buttons down the front of her shirt.

"Good. Then you better wash off your shaving foam," she told him in a clear, no-nonsense voice, cutting through the haze of lust that was in the air just moments ago. Stepping back, she spun on her heel and headed out of the bathroom.

"So mean, Kate, so mean," Rick called out, earning a saucy grin and a wink thrown over Kate's shoulder as she sauntered away.

* * *

As it was, no one ran late that morning. Martha had agreed to drop Arriana off at school; so after a quick hug goodbye to both her parents, Arriana left hand in hand with her grandmother. Shortly thereafter, Rick and Kate departed for the courthouse.

It wasn't going to take long, so Rick had planned on waiting with Kate at the courthouse, before heading for the precinct together. Kate met up with Anthea from the deposition the other day, and Rick took that as his cue to hang back while they went through some last minute details.

However, there was a sudden change in the line up of witnesses to be brought forward, so Kate had to wait her turn. They didn't know how long it was going to take, so Kate sent him off to the precinct. Apparently the boys had gotten a new case and it was Beckett-flavored.

After getting through New York traffic, Castle arrived at the precinct just as Kate sent him a text saying she was up next, so her phone would be turned off. He wished her luck, glad that she didn't have to wait much longer.

Heading up to the homicide floor, he joined the boys who had just begun putting together the murder board. They gave him a quick rundown of the murder before Castle eagerly reached for the photographs of the crime scene.

"Whoa, he really was drawn and quartered! Disemboweled in a slaughterhouse – must've been convenient for the killer to have all those tools there already. Did you know, that in medieval times, a criminal was drawn, what we know as disembowelment, because it was believed that corruption dwelt in his heart and bowels. As you can imagine, it must have been very messy," Castle shared that little bit of knowledge.

"Man, why do you even know things like that?" Espo asked, pausing through his writing to shoot Castle a weird look.

"Mystery novelist, occupational hazard, research, need I say more?" Castle replied, shrugging. "Anyway, the organs would normally be thrown into a fire, so that it would be destroyed and purified. It's commonly the last thing criminals see before they die."

"Well, that's not the case for our John Doe," Ryan told him, tapping at a picture that he had just added to the board. The Irish detective continued, "The deceased had his brains blown out with a .357 magnum before he was drawn and quartered."

"So someone went through the hassle of removing his bowels and hacking his body to pieces _after_ they shot him in the head?" Castle asked, his pitch rising as his excitement climbed.

"Like we said: Beckett-flavored," Ryan told him, frowning slightly.

If he caught on to the boys' slight remonstration, Castle ignored it. He stood up and began pacing in front of the murder board, unable to rein in his enthusiasm.

"It would make sense, actually. I mean, in this day and age, torture is rather frowned upon, but the killer maintained the essence of the execution. The whole point of the ritual was to humiliate, judge, and execute a criminal, stripping him of his integrity and identity, which I'd say, our killer accomplished. Blowing out his brains destroyed his face, which stripped away his identity, and being drawn and quartered in a slaughterhouse removed any traces of the victim's integrity. It's a really good modernization of the ritual!"

"Man, where's Beckett? You need to be put in time out or something. Bro, you do realize that normal people wouldn't be… be _congratulating_ or praising the murderer on a job well done with their interpretation of the execution, right?" Esposito told him, looking warily at Castle.

Castle was spared having to answer that as his cell phone rang. Sliding the screen on his phone, Castle answered the call without checking to see who was calling. "Hello," he greeted cheerfully.

Ryan and Espo shook their heads, turning back to focus on the murder board once more. If Castle wasn't their friend, he'd probably have been picked up long ago by other cops as a person of interest in so many of the city's more _interesting_ murders.

"Yes, Kate Beckett is my wife. Oh you couldn't reach her? She must still be in court. What is this regarding?" Castle asked, wondering what this phone call was about.

"What?! Where- How is she? Okay, and where are they sending her? Right, right, I'm heading over there now. Thanks."

"Everything alright there, Castle?" Ryan asked, hearing the worry in Castle's voice.

"I gotta go. Arriana's had an accident. Something about monkey bars and- " Castle broke off flustered, heading toward the elevator. "I need to go to the hospital. Keep trying Beckett's cell, will you? Get her to call me as soon as she can," he told them distractedly, jabbing the down button repeatedly.

"Will do, man," Espo told him grimly, but Castle barely paid attention to him. The elevator was taking way too long to get to the homicide floor. Castle made a half turn and headed for the stairwell, pushing open the doors and sprinting down the stairs.

Less than a minute later he was in a cab, on his way to Bellevue Hospital.

* * *

A/N: Keep the reviews coming! And don't hesitate to pester/bug me to make time to write the next chapter :) Come play with me on twitter: amandaOtweets


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